The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-10-27
SESTABLISHED IN
I MARCH, 1S47.
From West Virginia.
ST. GEORGE, TUCKER Co., w. VA,
o 1ocH

| october 3, 1887.
To the of the Standard:
[ presume that you will think it audac-
ity, when 1 ask you to allow me little
space in your valuable paper; but wish
to say few words about this part of w.
Va I haye been in ten or eleven coun-
ties; and in each, have found the soil to
be of good quality; particularly so in
Harrison, Taylor, Upshur, Barbour and a
part of Randolph and Tucker counties.
The Tygart's Valley River traverses Ran
dolph and Barbour counties, and the
Cheat River runs through Randolph and
Tucker counties; they run through other
counties, but it is of these counties that
wish to speak. The mountain scenery
here is nice beyond description. The AL
leghenies, Rich Mountain, memorable for
the battle that was fought there. Cheat
Mountain, Laurel and Pleasant Noun
tains, and many others which / have not
named, all towering in majestic grandeur
can be seen at one view. AS I said, the
scenery is indescribably grand and beau
tiful.
But it is not the geography of the coun-
try that l want to give you. 1 wish to
feebly describe the timber and the coal.
have seen good timber in many parts of
our country, but in no State outside of
this, have / ever seen anything even ap-
preaching this country for good, or, if
please, nice timber-especially the chest
nut, poplar, ash, pine, and many other
kinds that grow here on the mountains.
The amount of chestnut timber is almost
fabulous; the trees often 120 to 130 or 14O
feet in height. The poplar and ash are
equally fine.
1 will state here that the price of land
in these timbered districts is low; in
many places ranging from So to SIS per
acre. But the price is rising slowly, owing
principally to building railroads (of which
1 may speak hereafter), which are going
to give an outlet for the timber and coal;
and which will soon make this one of the
leading mining countries of the United
States. A word about the coal: A part
of Upshur, the greater part of Brrbour,
very nerrly all of Harrison, and Taylor,
and portion of Randolph counties (and
1 have travelled extensively in these coun-
ties), abounds in coal, of the best quality.
1 have seen number of bankg where the
veins were ten feet, solid coal, Of a good
quality. / have seen others, fifteen feet;
and L have it, on good authority that at
Rich Mountain, in Randolph County,
there is vein % feet; and many who
have seen it assert that it is even thicker,
or more than that in thickness. would
like to say more; but, lest you may think
I am overstating it, / will change, to say
a word about those railroads. A railroad
(narro-gauge) runs from Clarksburg to
Weston, the comfy seat of Lewis, and
Buchanan, the county seat of Upshur
County. Another railroad, narrow gauge
also, runs from Grafton to Philippi, the
county seat of Barbour County. thence
up the Tygarts Valley to the foot of Lau-
1el Mountain; the probability is that it
it will be extended up the Buchanan Riv-
er, and end at Charleston, on the Great
Kanawha River.
Another r. R., standard guage, is COM
pleted, from Piedmont, on the B. and o.,
to David City, in Lucker County; the
distance being about fifty-fve miles; it
will, also, end in Charleston. This road
is called the Davis Road" because Hen
ry G. Davis built it.
In conclusion, we will state that in our
opinion, money invested in land, in any
of the timbered districts, of this state. at
the present time, or in the near future
would double itself, in two years.
One more word: forgot to speak of
iron ore and limestone; 1--WE we're an ore
digger when we were young, therefore,
we think we know something about IT'D
There is pleanty of ore in the counties /
have named, and it is of a good quality
but the limestone surpasses, on quantity,
any thing L have ever seen, being thirty
to forty feet-yes, more than that, on the
Dry Fork of Cheat river.
will repeat, by saying that the day is
not far distant when W. Va. will be one
of the greatest mining states in the I'm
ion, and may add that it is now one of
the best grazing countries I have ever
seen.
Now I will close my scrap" by asking
your pardon, for troubling you with this
piece; but, if it is worthy place in your
insert it and you will hear from
me again. L must say before closing that |
for good health and good water, I doubt
if any country beats it.
J.L, PARKS.